Shuttle XPC SZ170R8 V2: Small but Powerful

Compact, efficient and incredibly powerful if you spring for the right parts, the Shuttle XPS SZ170R8 V2 has a lot going for it. The small form factor of the motherboard does not take away from its power. Even better is its capability as a portable machine.

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Student Council Presidents are usually those student leaders who are well-organized and have natural leadership skills. There are a lot of anime characters who have the traits to become an excellent Student Council President, so Charapedia asked which characters would make the best one. 10,000 people (46.2% male, 53.7% female) all voted for a total of...

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NASA wants to launch a "CubeSat" miniature satellite constructed out of a Nexus One Android powered smartphone in October or September of this year.

NASA wants to launch a "CubeSat" miniature satellite constructed out of a Nexus One Android powered smartphone in October or September of this year.

So called CubeSats have been around since 2003 at least, while specifications for their construction have were developed in 1999 by California Polytechnic State University and Stanford University. The idea was to develop a smaller version of artificial satellites which could be used by universities around the world for space science and exploration.

Now, using the Nexus One, an Android handset, NASA is developing a CubeSat which it hopes to launch in September or October of 2012. Mason Peck, chief technologist for NASA called the "PhoneSat" project "an exciting project where we have a chance to leverage consumer technology." CubeSats tend to be constructed out of everyday technology, so smartphones are a natural choice for the project, being inexpensive, powerful, small and readily accessible.

This isn't the first time NASA has employed smartphones in space. Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) robots powered by Nexus S units have been used on the International Space Station, assisting astronauts and carrying out tech demos.

The smaller and more affordable technology becomes, it will be interesting to see its potential for travel in the future. With the development of an augmented reality headset and an autonomous car, both by Google, the future of locomotion may very well lie in smart devices.